But Mariah tried to answer as best as she could. “I don’t know why you ended up with the life you have or even why I grew up the way I did, but I do know that if you stay prayerful and keep your faith in God, everything will work out the way it’s supposed to. I’m a living witness to all that I’m saying. I grew up on the West Side of Chicago with five brothers and sisters and we barely had food to eat. And it wasn’t because my mother didn’t care about us or because she did drugs. It was simply because she had six children and never got help from either of the two men she conceived us with. But she’s the first one to admit that she never should have kept having children, knowing that the men in her life were no good and that she wasn’t married to either of them. My life back then was hard, but it still didn’t stop me from doing the best I could in school or from going to college. And even though we were poor, that ended up being a blessing, because that’s how I qualified for all the financial aid I received. I majored in accounting and eventually became the director of grants and funding at the largest social service agency here in Chicago. And of course, that’s where I met my husband.”
“And now you’re livin’ as large as you wanna be,” Rayshonna said. “And married to that fine ole Pastor Black.”
All the girls laughed at Rayshonna. She was the comedian of the group and the liveliest.
“You’re terrible,” Mariah said teasingly.
“I’m just callin’ it the way I see it, Sister Black. You got it like that, and you know I’m tellin’ the truth.”
“Well, I appreciate your observation, Miss Rayshonna,” Mariah said. “But I will say this, it’s not just about money and material possessions, it’s about being happy. I always dreamed of having nice things, because I went without so many necessities when I was a child. But being happy and content is what’s truly important.”
Mariah wanted to make sure they understood that having a beautiful home, nice clothing, and a luxury vehicle didn’t mean a thing if you weren’t happy. She’d known that for years, but now she was learning it firsthand, in her marriage to Curtis. Although she hoped they were just going through a phase and that it would pass pretty quickly.
“I just hope I’ll be able to go to college, too, once I get my GED,” Ebony said. “I only have one more test to take next month, and then I’ll have it.”
“Good for you,” Mariah said, and everyone applauded.
“Way to go, girlfriend,” Rayshonna said, giving Ebony a high-five.
“I heard that,” Shamira, a seventeen-year-old mother of two, said.
“We’re going to celebrate big-time when you get it,” Carmen insisted.
“That we will,” Mariah guaranteed. “I’m not sure what we’re going to do exactly, but we’ll make sure it’s something special.”
“Now I can’t wait until I get mine,” Carmen said, smiling.
“You will,” Mariah said. “You’ll be finished with it before you know it.”
Mariah’s heart went out to all of the girls, but she had a very special place in it for Carmen. She was such a sweetheart and an amazing survivor. Her father had shot and killed her mother right in front of her when she was only five, and she’d lived with an aunt who physically abused her until she was twelve. Carmen had even shown everyone the print of an iron on her back, which was a result of her aunt chasing her. But eventually her aunt was reported by a neighbor and the authorities removed Carmen from the home. Then, as fate would have it, she was assigned to Sister Fletcher, a foster mother who was a member of the church. Sister Fletcher’s husband was deceased and her biological children lived out of state, so she gave Carmen all the love and attention she needed. But when Carmen turned seventeen, she still dropped out of school. Sister Fletcher had told Mariah about it three months ago, and Mariah had suggested that Carmen attend the ministry meetings. Now she was doing a lot better emotionally and was attending an alternative school, working to complete her GED.
The girls spoke among themselves and Mariah noticed that it was almost time for them to end their session.
“I have something that I want all of you to read before our meeting next week,” Mariah said, passing out booklets to each of them. “It’s a book that specifically discusses how to find success in all areas of your life. It talks about the fact that you have to first believe in God, then believe in yourself, and then believe in whatever you’re trying to accomplish. Because if your ability to believe manifests in that order, you’ll quickly start to see positive changes in your life.”
Everyone flipped curiously through the material and Mariah was glad they seemed interested.
“I think you’ll enjoy reading this, and the other thing I want to keep encouraging all of you to do is stay prayerful. Prayer is very powerful when it comes from the heart, and I think you’ll see God making a major difference in your life as you continue to communicate with Him. Prayer can give you so much peace, and regardless of what you are going through, God does hear all that you ask for.”
“Then why doesn’t He answer all the time?” Ebony wanted to know.
“Actually, He does, but it’s just that He doesn’t always answer when or in the way we want Him to. But He does always answer when the time is right. Sometimes we want what we want when we want it, but certain things aren’t right for us. And then sometimes we want things to happen instantly, when it would be so much better if they happened at a later date. But that’s just human nature, and it’s perfectly normal to feel that way.”
“I hear what you’re saying, but it’s still hard to understand sometimes,” Ebony said.
“I know, but as you continue building your relationship with God, your understanding of Him and how He works will improve more and more.”
“I agree,” Carmen said matter-of-factly.
“Well, girls, unless you have something else you’d like to share this evening, I think it’s time we dismissed.”
Everyone agreed, the girls hugged Mariah and each other and then left the room.
Mariah couldn’t help thinking about the advice she’d just given Ebony. Especially since she hadn’t taken it herself when she met Curtis. She’d prayed over and over, asking God to make Curtis her husband, and it had happened. But now she wondered if God had actually blessed her with Curtis or simply allowed the marriage to happen because she wanted Curtis so badly. At the time, she hadn’t cared about any possible consequences or even considered the fact that some people weren’t nearly who they claimed to be, and she hoped she wasn’t going to be sorry for it. She was such an optimist and had been told many times that she was much too trusting of people in general, but she couldn’t help who she was. She’d always tried to do the right thing, and she always treated people the way she wanted to be treated. She couldn’t understand why Curtis or anyone else would want to take advantage of that.
But maybe she was blowing her problems with Curtis way out of proportion. Maybe she was being too hard on him about all the time he was spending away from home, too. Because it wasn’t like he had a normal nine-to-five. It wasn’t like he could leave his work at the office when he was senior pastor of a church like Truth Missionary. The man had weekly sermons to write and preach, prayer service and Bible study to teach, the sick and shut-in to see, and sometimes he did revivals for outof-town churches when they requested him. Of course, sometimes he received help from his associate ministers and deacons, but he really did have a whole lot of responsibilities. Maybe Curtis really was as busy as he claimed. Maybe she was expecting far too much from him and needed to find other things to do with her time, just as her mother had suggested. Her mother had also told her not to keep nagging Curtis, but that’s exactly what she’d been doing. And it wasn’t like he was staying out till the wee hours of the morning, anyway.
She decided that she wasn’t giving up on him or their marriage. She was going to have faith in the love they shared and trust that everything would work out in the long run.
She decided it was best to stay positive and give he
r husband the total benefit of the doubt.
Chapter 9
Curtis drove through the intersection of Golf and Roselle over in Schaumburg. He was headed west toward Barrington and was on his way to visit some of his minister friends. He was also talking to Adrienne.
“You miss me?” he asked.
“You know I do,” she said. “We’ve been together almost every other night, but I guess I just can’t get enough of you. I haven’t felt this good in a long time.”
“Baby, neither have I, and if I hadn’t promised the boys that I’d get together with them, I’d spend this evening with you, too. We only meet once a month, though, so I didn’t want to renege on them.”
“It’s not a problem. But we are still on for Saturday, right?”
“Absolutely. Mariah is going shopping downtown with one of her girlfriends, so I’m all yours for the entire day.”
“And you’re sure your friend is okay with us using his condo?”
“Positive. I’ve already cleared it with him, and I’ll be getting the key when I see him tonight.”
“I can’t believe it’s in the same suburb where we used to rent ours.”
“It’s practically déjà vu.”
“We were so happy back then.”
“I know, baby, and I promise you we’re going to be even happier this time around.”
“That’s what I keep hoping, Curtis, but I’m so afraid. I mean, I hear what you’re saying, and I want to believe you, but I don’t think I’ll be completely comfortable with any of this until I see your divorce papers. And I think it’s only fair for you to know that there is no way I can even consider leaving Thomas until then.”
Curtis didn’t like the sound of that. He didn’t like it because more than anything, he wanted the deacon out of the picture. He needed him out of the way so that he could gain better control of Adrienne’s emotions. He wasn’t sure what he would have to do to convince her to get rid of the man, but he had to come up with something.
“I know I didn’t do right by you before, but I’m telling you, baby, I’m totally committed to you for the rest of my life. Right now I’m in this situation with Mariah and you know it has to be handled very carefully, but I will divorce her.”
“That’s fine, but all I’m saying is that I won’t leave Thomas until you show me proof in black and white.”
“But don’t you think it would look a lot better if you went ahead and divorced the deacon at least a few months before I divorce Mariah? Otherwise everyone will know we were planning this whole thing, and that we’ve been seeing each other all along.”
“Maybe, but I can’t do that. So as much as I love you, Curtis, and as much as I want to spend the rest of my life with you, these are the conditions.”
“If that’s how it has to be, then that’s how it has to be.”
“It does. And just so we’re on the same page, we agreed last Tuesday on the six-month time frame, so that means you have until the beginning of October to file for your divorce.”
Curtis wanted to laugh out loud. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing or that she was giving him an ultimatum so early in the relationship. She was acting as if they had a written contract, and Curtis could tell she was dead serious.
But he knew what he had to do. He had to keep seeing her three to four times a week like he used to. He’d make love to her in every way imaginable. So much so that she would no longer be able to think straight. She was trying very hard to stay in control, but when he finished with her on Saturday, she wouldn’t know what hit her. She would beg to be with him under any circumstances.
But he decided to go along with what she was saying just to halt any confusion.
“The beginning of October it is. Or before if I can make it happen.”
“I hate to be so technical about this, but it’s the only way I can protect myself.”
“I understand. But hey, I’m just pulling up to the condo, so I’d better go,” he said, parking in the driveway behind a blue Jaguar and right next to a burgundy Escalade. There was also a black Lexus 430 parked closer to the garage.
“So I’ll speak to you tomorrow?” she asked.
“I’ll call you first thing in the morning when I get to the church. And don’t you work too late.”
“I’ll try not to, but I’m working on this special marketing report that has to be finished by Monday morning. And it’s not like I can come in on Saturday to do it.”
“No, you definitely can’t do it then, because you’ll be with me until sundown.”
“You know I’m looking forward to it. But I’ll let you go, and you have a good time tonight.”
“I love you, baby.”
“I love you, too.”
Curtis stepped out of the car, strolled up to the front door, and knocked.
“Hey, Rev, glad you could make it,” Tyler said, opening the door of his four-bedroom condo. He was Curtis’s closest minister friend and confidant.
“Me, too, man,” Curtis said, hugging him.
Curtis shed his blazer, loosened his tie, and joined the three men at the glass table.
“You want anything to drink?” Tyler asked.
“Whatcha got?”
“Alize, Zinfandel, and I think there’s some sort of Merlot in the fridge, too.”
“Now, you Negroes know I don’t drink intoxicating beverages,” Curtis said.
“Oh yeah, that’s right,” Malcolm said, turning up a bottle of Miller Genuine Draft. “We forgot. You don’t drink, you just sleep with as many women as you can.”
They all roared with laughter.
“Well, I never said I was perfect, and y’all know from experience that some things are just too hard to give up,” Curtis told them.
“I know that’s right,” Cletus said. “Because if I didn’t have all those fine women at my church, I don’t know what I would do. And that’s the truth.”
“God is good,” Tyler added. “I mean, just look at this beautiful condo the church is paying for, and all I had to do was tell them I needed a retreat away from home. I told them that I needed somewhere I could go meditate, relax, and clear my head from time to time, and they totally went for it. They even agreed to purchase one this large because I told them we could also use it for out-of-town ministers and their families who were visiting our church. That way, they wouldn’t have to stay at some hotel.”
“Man, you got it made, because I would love to ask for something like this from Truth,” Curtis said, admiring his surroundings. “But since I’ve only been there nine months, I figure I’d better take it slow when it comes to asking for more perks.”
“You doin’ the right thing, because you don’t want them gettin’ antsy about anything,” Malcolm agreed. “If you ask for too much too fast, they’ll start gettin’ all suspicious on you.”
“I second that motion,” Cletus said. “Because the name of the game is trust. And once you have them trusting you one hundred percent, you can ask for practically anything you want. They’ll be loving you and eating out of the palm of your hand without you even asking them to.”
“And the women will do more than that,” Tyler said. “They’ll do any and everything you ask just because you’re the pastor.”
“I’ve got the four of mine so caught up that they all know about each other,” Cletus said. “They pretend like they don’t, but they all know exactly what’s going on. And now I’ve gotten them so under control they’re on a schedule.”
“Man, you are too crazy,” Malcolm said, cracking up.
“What kinda schedule?” Curtis asked, reaching inside a bowl of beer nuts.
“All four of them have a certain week of every month. I usually see them on Mondays, since that’s my day off, and they each know which Monday is theirs.”
“You have got to be kidding!” Tyler exclaimed, lifting a piece of pizza.
“I’m serious, man. Just like the mass choir sings on the first Sunday, the male chorus sings on the second, the
young adults on the third, and the children on the fourth, I’ve got my women lined up the same way. If I didn’t, how would I keep all of ’em straight?”
“You’re a trip,” Tyler said. “And if I were you I’d watch out before I ended up gettin’ busted.”
“No, see the difference between the three of y’all and me is that I stick with the young, dumb, and naïve ones,” Cletus boasted. “That way, all you have to do is take ’em to a decent hotel and throw ’em a few dollars every now and then. After that, you have total control.”
“You know, man, you might have something there,” Curtis said. “Because now that I’m back with Adrienne—”
“What do you mean, now that you’re back with Adrienne?” Tyler interrupted. “Last we heard, you’d seen her at some church concert but weren’t planning to call her.”
“Yeah,” Malcolm teased. “You were going to be Mr. Nice and Faithful to your new wife, if I remember correctly.”
“That’s right,” Cletus joked. “You were going to walk the straight and narrow until death do you part.”
“Lord knows I tried, but it didn’t work,” Curtis admitted. “Anyway, we got together for dinner and then this past week I took her to a hotel a few times. But now she’s ridin’ me about divorcing Mariah.”
“Already?” Tyler asked.
“Well, I sort of told her that I would do it in six months.”
“You what?” Tyler exclaimed.
“Are you serious?” Cletus chimed in. “You really want to divorce that fine-ass Mariah?”
“No, I’m not divorcing anybody, but if I hadn’t promised Adrienne that I would, she never would have started seeing me again. So I did what I had to do, but now she’s issuing all these ultimatums.”
“Man, you couldn’t pay me to be in your shoes six months from now. That’s for doggoned sure,” Malcolm said.
“Me neither,” Cletus said. “And I’d like to know exactly what you plan on doing about it.”
“I don’t know, but I’ll think of something by then. Have to.”
Too Much of a Good Thing Page 9